The Global Green Hydrogen Industry Facing Hurdles and New Export Opportunities
Key Ideas
- Green hydrogen is gaining attention for its potential to decarbonize hard-to-decarbonize industrial sectors like steelmaking and shipping.
- Despite hurdles like high costs and immature supply chains, policymakers in the EU are supporting green hydrogen as a means of reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
- Research indicates that the EU may need to import green hydrogen to meet its decarbonization goals, presenting opportunities for global producers, including those in the United States.
- While the U.S. saw supportive policies under President Biden, recent policy shifts have created uncertainties for green hydrogen producers in the country.
The global green hydrogen industry is attracting interest from investors and governments worldwide looking to decarbonize industries like steelmaking and shipping. While traditional hydrogen is mainly extracted from natural gas or coal, green hydrogen offers a more sustainable alternative by using water and renewable electricity in electrolysis systems. However, the industry faces challenges such as high costs and immature supply chains.
Recent research suggests that the EU will have to import green hydrogen to achieve its decarbonization goals, signaling potential export opportunities for U.S. producers. Despite strong support for green hydrogen in the EU, there are concerns that the near-term production goals may be unrealistic. The focus is now shifting towards key industrial sectors where green hydrogen can have the most impact.
In the U.S., federal policies under President Biden encouraged investments in green hydrogen, but subsequent policy changes have created uncertainties for producers. While some proposals for green hydrogen projects have emerged, new tariff rounds introduced by the current administration are causing concerns about increased costs.
Overall, the global energy transition momentum continues to rise, with green hydrogen playing a significant role in decarbonizing industries and facilitating international trade and collaborations.
Topics
Fuel Cells
Energy Transition
Decarbonization
Sustainable Technologies
Investments
Export Opportunities
Federal Policies
Latest News